| <No.677> |
| South Koreans Not Worried by Talk of War |
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Carefree crowds are flocking
to Yeouido Park in Seoul
to see the cherry blossoms at their peak
this week.
Few here are concerned
this region may be on the brink of war.
"Well, it is scary
to talk about war,
as I am from the generation
which never experienced war.
But I don't really feel fear yet."
North Korea and the United States seem increasingly poised for conflict
over Pyongyang’s repeated nuclear and ballistic missile tests
aimed at developing the capability
to target the U.S. mainland.
Washington moved the naval strike force
led by the USS Carl Vinson
into the region
over concerns
that the North will soon conduct its sixth nuclear test.
U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet
that North Korea was "looking for trouble,"
while Pyongyang warned
it would retaliate against American aggression
with nuclear weapons
specifically targeting both South Korea and the U.S. mainland.
The flare-up in tensions, however, is not causing any sense of panic
in Seoul,
which is situated
within range of the North’s massive artillery and missile arsenal.
Many in South Korea see the current crisis
as political theater
that has been played out repeatedly
in the past.
Some see the increased U.S. military posturing
as a right of passage
for a new American president to demonstrate toughness and resolve.
"Every time the U.S. had a new president,
we had similar types of crises,
but we passed through them
without any major struggle."
Ultimately many in South Korea expect
that all sides in the standoff will act
with restraint
to keep the peace,
rather than face the risk of triggering a war
that no one can win.
Brian Padden, VOA News, Seoul |
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